Improvement in reversible latches



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GEORGE A. SEAVER,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 84,382, dated November 24, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN' REVERSIBLE. LAVTCHES.

The Schedule referred` to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it ana/y concern,

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. SEM-'1th, of New York, in the county and Stat-e' of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Iteversible Locks; and I do hereby declare that the fol-lowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the saine, reference bein g had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to that class of locks that are made with reversible latches, so that a single lock may be used, either right or left It consists in making the tail that carries the latch of a flexible plate, which also carries the follower, iv Such a manner that the latter, or the pair of followers, which I prefer to use, one for each side plate of the dock, may be compressed together inside the case, on

the removal of the spindle, so that the latch may' be drawn, forward through its plate until its cylindrical neck corresponds with the square opening ofthe plate,

.when it may be turned in its tail-piece, to operate either rightor left, and then replaced in the case, with the follower'sin their proper position for the reception vof the spindle. To insure the return of the followers after they have been drawn forward, they are finnished with an appropriate spring.

To enable others skilled in the arts to which it aper t 'ns c an use In inven ionwi n'ocee( p ta1,toma,ke d y t ,I ll1 l secured.

The tail-piece o c is a liexible plate that carries a pair of followers, rl d, one on each side, each of which is held by thetitting of the edges of a slot in the tailpiece into a groove of the follower.

The ends of the slots opposite those at which. the followers are carried are made large enough to admit the collars of the followers, so that the latter may be inserted into the slots and then moved into their proper position, with the edges of the slots fitting into the grooves, where .they are held by the action of the spring o.

In ordinargsv use, the lock operates in the ordinary way.

The spindle f turns the followers d, and draws back the tail of the latch, so that the latter is withdrawn from thestriking-plate on the jamb of the door.;

On releasing the handle, the latch is thrown forward by the spring g.

Then it is desired to reverse the laction ofthe latch, the spindle is removed, the followers pressed-within the case, and the latch, tail-piece, and followers drawn forward until the cylindrical collar of the latch projects through the case of the look, as drawn in fig. 3, when' the latch may be turned and the whole replaced within lthe case, the Aspring e insuring the passage of the followers baek to their proper v position for the reception of the spindle.

The details of the arrangement of the springs, and the collstruction of the tail-piece of the-latch, audits combination with the follower or followers, may be varied, without departure from the principle of the invention, but I prefer that itshould be carried into effect substalitially in the manner illustrated in the drawings. 4

I claim the flexible tail-piece c, constructed and arranged substantially as described, and for'the purpose specified.

And I also claim, in combination with a reversible latch and flexible tail-piece, the application of the spring e, for the return of movable followers to their proper position. y

l Gr. A. SEAVER. Witnesses:

EDWIN L. ALEXANDER, Wai. KEMBLE HALL. 

